Press Release Article

Travelers urged to use the lower level to avoid delays; Port Authority will provide e-alerts updating motorists in real-time on travel times and delays

Beginning Monday, June 16, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey will close three upper-level lanes on the George Washington Bridge for 12 weeks during overnight hours, as construction workers resume work on the upper-level deck rehabilitation project, which began last summer. The lanes will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. Friday into Saturday. There will be no lane closings on Saturday or Sunday nights.

To avoid delays, the Port Authority urges motorists to use the lower level of the bridge. During overnight deck rehabilitation work last summer, delays peaked at 60-75 minutes on the upper level during construction, while the lower level saw minimal or no delays on most nights. While trucks must remain on the upper level, all other drivers should strongly consider traveling across the lower level of the span or plan additional travel time. The lower level toll plazas will be fully staffed during overnight hours and provide both cash and E-ZPass toll lanes.

The Port Authority will update drivers in real-time regarding travel times on the upper and lower level through through e-alerts. Customers can sign up for alerts at http://www.paalerts.com/. Travelers may also call 511 or visit 511NY.org or 511NJ.org for further information. Visit http://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/gwb-upper-deck-steel-rehab.html to view the current construction schedule and learn more about the project.

Work will shift between the eastbound and westbound directions throughout the duration of the project. On the days of Yankee games or events at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands, the contractor will not be allowed to close lanes until one hour after the end of the game/event to mitigate traffic impact.

The bridge project provides for the rehabilitation of the structural steel on the upper-level roadway deck and support structure to maintain it in a state of good repair. The work involves replacing six-foot sections of deck adjacent to the deck joints with a modified deck system that will extend the bridge deck's life by 15 to 20 years. The existing steel deck was installed in 1978.

Contact:The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey212-435-7777

Founded in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. The agency's network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than $23 billion in annual wages and $80 billion in annual economic activity. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center site, where construction crews are building the iconic One World Trade Center, which is now the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. The Port Authority receives no tax revenue from either the State of New York or New Jersey or from the City of New York. The agency raises the necessary funds for the improvement, construction or acquisition of its facilities primarily on its own credit. For more information, please visit http://www.panynj.gov.